Feds Charge Six MS-13 Gang Members in Maryland Murders

AP File Photo/Seth Wenig31 Mar 2018

Federal prosecutors filed charges in a Maryland court for murder, conspiracy, and racketeering against six members of the transnational criminal gang, MS-13. The charges are part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing effort to curtail the gang’s violent acts across the country.

Prosecutors unsealed a 24-page indictment (attached below) on Friday charging Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriquez (a.k.a. Picaro, El Pastor, and Gasper), David Diaz-Alvarado, Manuel Martinez-Aguilar (a.k.a. El Lunatic and Zomb), Fermin Gomez-Jimenez, Marlon Cruz-Flores (a.k.a. Little S), and Moises Alexis Reyes-Canales (a.k.a. Sicopata) with Conspiracy to Participate in a Racketeering Enterprise; Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering; Conspiracy to Use, Carrry, Brandish, and Discharge a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; and Aiding and Abetting.

The 9-count indictment details the history, organization, and activities of the racketeering enterprise known as MS-13. It details the various cliques in the Maryland area that are responsible for a rash of heinous murders and other crimes of violence in the region. Prosecutors also described communications with MS-13 gang leaders in El Salvador.

Five of the indicted co-conspirators — Reyes-Canales, Cruz-Flores, Gomez-Jimenez, Martinez-Aguilar, and Diaz-Alvarado are reported to be members of the Hempstead Clique while Sandoval-Rodriguez is reportedly a member and associate of the Fulton Clique, prosecutors stated.

In September 2015, the indictment alleges that Martinez-Aguilar and other MS-13 gang members assaulted an unidentified Victim-4 repeatedly because the victim would not pay tribute to MS-13 in order to sell his marijuana in their territory.

In February, the gang members allegedly sought approval from MS-13 gang members outside of Maryland to murder another victim. After receiving approval, Sandoval-Rodriguez and another gang member allegedly lured a victim to a park where they intended to kill him.

On March 11, 2016, the indictment states that Cruz-Flores, Gomez-Jimenez, Sandoval-Rodriguez, and Diaz-Alvarado teamed up with other gang members to murder Victim-1.

Later that year, Reyes-Canales, Cruz-Flores, Gomez-Jimenez, Martinez-Aguilar, and other gang members allegedly attempted to murder an 18th Street gang member identified as Victim-2 in the indictment. The gang members allegedly used guns and knives to carry out the attempted murder on October 23, 2016. The gang members decided to try to kill a third victim because he was with Victim-2 would be a witness to the crime.

Martinez-Aguilar and another gang member attempted to kill Victim-2 by running him over with his own car. The gang members then allegedly attempted to murder Victim-2 by repeatedly stabbing him until he died. The indictment states the gang members shot Victim-3 and stabbed him multiple times.

Following the murders, the gang members allegedly burned Victim-2’s car and fled to Georgia to avoid detection and arrest by law enforcement officers.

If convicted, the suspects face up to life in prison for their charges. The use of a firearm in the commission of the violent crimes adds additional penalties to the sentencing.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX, GAB, and Facebook.